Wolf Games: Severed Fates (The Vampire Games Book 6)

by Caroline Peckham

  The lift jerked to a halt and the doors parted. Cool air washed over us from the enormous underground car park stretching out before us. Silence followed.

  Brendan stepped out first and everyone edged after him.

  “Wolves, come to me!” Ulvic's voice echoed through the chamber.

  Jameson smirked, stalking forward, but Reason pushed through the group and fled across the cavern.

  “No!” Jameson roared, taking chase.

  A car engine roared and I spotted Ulvic in a black Volvo, accelerating toward the exit. He pulled up next to Reason, letting her in. Jameson was three feet behind, lifting his gun, but they were already pulling away. He fired shot after shot at the vehicle, crying out his fury.

  The car turned into the tunnel and I lost sight of it.

  “Brendan- car keys – now!” Jameson demanded, sprinting back to us.

  There were three vehicles lined up next to each other. Two black vans and one red Corvette. Brendan chucked him a bunch at random and Jameson pressed a button. The lights on the Corvette flashed and he dashed inside, kicking the engine into gear.

  My heart beat out of tune. I fled toward him and he drove the car up beside me, letting me in.

  I barely had the door closed before he slammed the gear stick backwards and revved the engine hard, flying toward the tunnel.

  “What about the others?” I glanced back over my shoulder.

  “There's plenty of room in those vans. I don't need any extra people weighing us down. And I can't let him take Reason.”

  I nodded, my heart beating frantically as we sped down the passageway, the ultraviolet lights flooding over us.

  At the far end of the tunnel, Ulvic's car sped out into the sunlight. Jameson was driving at nearly a hundred miles an hour by the time we exited too. Ulvic was already winding up the dirt track toward the top of the quarry. We had to slow a little as we bumped over the rocky road.

  Jameson leant across me, pulling my seat belt into place, his eyes firmly on the road.

  “You're not wearing yours,” I said, nodding to it.

  “I know,” he said. “Because I'm planning on getting out soon.”

  “What?” I breathed, fear winding its way through my organs.

  He offered me a cheeky grin in response. “Do you trust me?”

  “Well whenever you have that expression, you do something crazy. So I'm gonna say no.”

  “But do my crazy plans usually pay off?”

  “Well...yes, but-”

  “Then you do trust me.”

  I laughed. “Okay, I trust you. Just please don't get yourself killed. This baby needs its daddy.”

  He raised his hand between us, his little finger extended. “Pinky promise.”

  I locked my finger with his. “Break the promise and I'll break your pinky.”

  “Harsh, baby. But alright. Because if I break the promise I'll be dead anyway.”

  Jameson

  This had the potential to be a shit-quake of mass proportions. But as I gained on Ulvic, flying along the road above the quarry at high-speed, I knew it would be worth it. Because if that arsehole escaped me, I was never going to live it down. Plus, he had Reason. And I wasn't going to let him hurt a single member of my pack ever again.

  I placed my pistol in Cass's lap. “Give him a warning.”

  She slid the window down, leaning out of it as she took aim, firing at the back of it. The rear window exploded and Ulvic swerved left and right. Bet he was sweating like a whore in a church right about now.

  I'm coming for you Hundy-kins.

  I flipped on the radio and the persistent, pounding bass of The Chain thrummed through the car, soaking my soul in Fleetwood Mac's finest. Seemed like fate was on my side today.

  “Take the wheel, baby.” I winked at Cass beside me and she frowned, but did as I said. “Good, now climb into my seat.”

  “How am I going to do that with you in it?” she questioned, but I answered by opening the driver's window, taking hold of the roof and climbing out. The car swerved violently, slowing as the acceleration dropped.

  “Jameson!” Cass cried as she unclipped her seat belt and dove into my seat.

  I hopped onto the bonnet, holding on with one hand as I crouched in place. We sped up and I glanced back at my girl in the driver's seat with a grin. She shook her head at me, but smiled keenly, pressing the accelerator harder so we gained on Ulvic again.

  I braced myself as we got closer to the Volvo.

  Now for the tricky bit.

  As the two cars' bumpers almost collided, I dove forward, grabbing onto the back of Ulvic's vehicle and clambering up onto the roof. He weaved hard left and right, trying to throw me off, but I held on tight, hugging the car to my body.

  I scooted forward, rolling down the windscreen and catching hold of the wipers to keep my grip, digging my heels into the bonnet.

  I gazed into the car and Ulvic's terrified gaze met mine. Reason was beside him, gazing at me with an apologetic look. Ulvic sped up and Cass slowed, leaving me to it. Me and Ulvic. One on one. That was how this was gonna go down.

  Adrenaline poured through me in waves. Heat spread down my spine, urging me to turn, but I wanted to be human for this. I wanted my face to be the last thing Ulvic ever saw.

  “Get off the car!” he bellowed. An order.

  I grinned, raising my middle finger against the window. “I'm not your wolf any more, Ulvic!”

  His eyes widened in horror and he gazed at Reason who nodded to confirm it.

  “Get off the car!” he tried again. And failed. That terrified expression of his was worth ten tonnes of gold.

  Cass's car got lost in the dust as he sped along the dirt track, bumping wildly along the rocky terrain.

  “You can't be free! It's not possible!” Ulvic cried.

  I reached around to the driver's window, punching it awkwardly. It took three hard thumps to break it. The glass exploded, showering over Ulvic.

  He slammed on the breaks with a cry of fright. The car skidded across the ground and as he jammed up the handbrake I was thrown from the bonnet, hitting the track and rolling across it, bumping over every stone and root as I went. Ow.

  I was on my feet in a flash, storming toward the car.

  He revved the engine and I grinned. “Do your worst,” I muttered to myself.

  The car sped toward me and I eyed the fury in Ulvic's eyes as he tried to mow me down. I took out a gun from the back of my jeans, aiming it directly at him. He swerved to the right and he lost control of the car, nearly driving it into a ditch.

  As he slammed to a halt, I ran to the driver's door, ripping it open. “That was a spectacular fail, Ulvic.”

  “Get away – you can't hurt me!” he snapped.

  “I'm free. You can't order me around anymore.”

  I dragged him out by the collar and he was yanked backwards in the seat belt, gargling as it choked him. I reached inside, unclipping it and he slumped into the dirt at my feet.

  “Jameson!” Reason cried from the car, but I ignored her.

  Ulvic scrambled to his knees, gripping my jeans. “Please, please. My Alpha, forgive me. I was going to come back for you and the others. I was going for help.”

  His fingers dug into my thighs, his dusky eyes wide and desperate as he gazed up at me.

  I considered him, kicking him off of my legs as I stepped back.

  My gaze narrowed. “Does your tongue do anything but lie?”

  He crawled toward me on his hands and knees, reaching for my shoes and clinging on for dear life. I remained still as he got to his feet, trembling from head to toe, reaching out to me. “P-please, Jameson. We can still w-work things out. It doesn't have to b-be this way.”

  The stutter was kind of satisfying seeing as I'd caused it. I didn't think I'd ever scared Ulvic. But things had changed. Guess he knew how powerful I was. The command he'd had over me was gone. Which made me a killing machine, capable of doing anything I liked to him. But I wasn't going
to rush this meal. I deserved time to dwell on it. Enjoy it. Devour every bloody bite, medium-rare.

  A bead of sweat sailed over Ulvic's brow. He looked pathetic. Which was exactly what he was.

  “You just tried to run me over,” I pointed out and his face paled.

  He reached for something behind his back and he extracted a large knife, pointing it at me.

  “What's the plan, Ulvic?” I asked. “You gonna stab me in the back? 'Cause if you hadn't noticed, you already did that.”

  “Reason, come here,” he commanded and she slid out of the car, moving around it toward us. I tensed, wondering if he was going to make her fight me. Lifting my gun, I aimed it at him.

  “Jameson, don't!” Reason cried and I hesitated because of the desperate look in her eyes.

  “Hold him off,” Ulvic commanded her.

  She collided with me and I grabbed her arms as she tried to fight me, stumbling back.

  “Reason,” I snarled as she shuddered, about to turn. “I'm sorry,” I breathed, locking an arm around her throat and squeezing. I yanked her hard back against me. She fought wildly, choking out my name.

  The ticking of an ignition caught my ear.

  No, no, no. This was all going up shit-creek.

  Come on, pass out little cub.

  Reason fell unconscious in my arms and I laid her on the side of the track with another murmured apology.

  Glancing up, I found Ulvic struggling to start the car.

  I rose to my feet, storming toward him, lifting my gun. I aimed at his leg, taking the shot and he cried out in pain as blood poured from his thigh.

  Storming toward him, I grabbed hold of the back of his trench coat and dragged him out of the car. I hauled him around to the passenger seat, lifting him and dumping him inside. Snatching his knife, I launched it into the nearest field.

  Ulvic's leg was hanging out of the car so I slammed the door on it for good measure and he screamed.

  “Oops. Let me get that for you.” I grabbed his foot and shoved his leg inside before closing the door with a sharp snap.

  I hurried to the driver's seat, dropping in and pressing my foot to the accelerator.

  “W-where are w-we g-going?” he stuttered, holding the bloody wound on his thigh.

  I ignored him, playing with the radio and halting as Ain't That A Shame by Fats Domino came on.

  I threw him a smile. His face was draining of colour fast. Blood was soaking into the seat. I had to hurry up. I didn't want Ulvic to miss the finale.

  Picking up my pace, I turned the Volvo onto the grass, off-roading my way across the bumpy hill. When I was a decent distance from the road, I tugged up the handbrake and pulled my belt free from my jeans. I patted the wheel and when he didn't immediately place his hand there, I snatched his wrist and tethered it to the wheel with my belt.

  “Please, Jameson! Please!”

  I took a grenade from my pocket and pulled the pin out with my teeth, spitting it out of the broken window.

  “Ah!” Ulvic winced away from me, pressing himself against the passenger door. “You're mad – you'll kill us both!”

  I kept my thumb on the trigger, taking his other hand – which was clammy as hell – and placed the grenade in it, positioning his thumb over the trigger.

  “Careful with that, we don't want any accidents.” I smirked.

  Tears sailed down Ulvic's cheeks and a whole lot of realisation filled his eyes. The kind of look that said I'm about to die. And what d'ya know? He was right. There wasn't a chance in hell he was going to survive the next few minutes. Possibly not even the next thirty seconds.

  I leant toward him, pressing my forehead to his, my eyes boring holes into his dusky blues. “It's been fun, Ulvic. Really, we had some laughs. Shame you had to ruin it. But I don't do fourth chances. And we've done second and third I'm afraid. Plus this isn't really for me anyway. It's for them. My family, who you killed. Not me. You. And this is their revenge.” I winked, leaning back and stepping smoothly out of the car, pressing the lock button on the keys – just in case.

  Taking a second grenade, I pulled the pin and chucked it into the back seat.

  Ulvic turned, flailing madly as he tried to reach it, but with his arm tied and his other hand still holding the grenade, he couldn't.

  I sprinted toward a mound of earth, diving behind it as his screams sailed to high heaven. “JAMESON!” The last word he'd ever say. My name. That was a sweet kind of justice in itself.

  BOOOOOOOM.

  Fire roared overhead, singeing my hair. But I relished every second. Every god-damn juicy moment. The burning, the smoke, the heat, the pounding of my heart like it was a horse going for gold in Royal Ascot. And most of all, the silence that followed, confirming his death. I glanced over the mound to check, and sure enough he was reduced to a skeletal husk, the car around him shredded, the metal bending and buckling above his corpse.

  I stood, brushing down the dirt from my jeans and flattening my shirt as I turned to face the road. Cass had pulled up in the red Corvette, standing outside it, gazing at me as if she wasn't sure whether to run to me or stay put.

  The two vans sat behind it and my pack stood beside one of them, gazing toward the burning car. Reason was with them, her face pale, tears staining her cheeks. She'd get over it. I guess she'd never really accepted Ulvic's betrayal of us. But as she turned to me, she gave me a small nod of approval and my heart swelled.

  The look in Nadine and Mekiah's eyes was an even greater reward than killing Ulvic. They looked proud, satisfied, even a little weepy. Nadine took a step forward, but Cass beat her to it, finally making her decision as she sped toward me, crashing into my arms. I breathed in the sweetness of her hair, the feel of her hands clinging to me, her hard kisses pressing to my cheeks, my lips.

  “It wasn't pretty,” I muttered.

  “He didn't deserve pretty,” she whispered, gazing up at me with watery eyes. “I'm so proud of you.”

  “Even though I went a little psycho? Do you think I overdid it?” I didn't want her opinion of me to change. Maybe she thought this was a bit extreme. Even for me.

  She shook her head. “If anything you could have done worse.” She laughed through her tears and I wiped them gently from her cheeks, half-tempted to lick them just to devour this moment a little further. Yeah, psycho might have been the word for me right then.

  “Oh really?” I teased.

  She sniffed on another laugh. “Alright, maybe not.”

  I lowered my tone, rubbing my nose against hers. “I didn't want to be like them. Like Rockley and the other Hunters. Torture isn't my thing, even for him. All I wanted was for him to know that this was it. To see the same fear in his eyes that he made me feel. Like the world was ending.”

  She slammed her mouth to mine and I lifted her into my arms, marching her back to the car. I saluted my pack before planting Cass in the driver's seat and taking the passenger's side.

  “I'm driving?” She grinned.

  “Yeah, I wanna look at that burning wreckage for as long as I can.”

  She took off down the road and I gazed at the wing mirror, keeping my eyes fixed on the billowing smoke and angry flames. It felt like that fire was going to burn on forever. And in a way, it was. I was never going to let this memory die. It was going to live in my heart always, because to me, it represented freedom. Despite having the cure to Werewolf obedience, killing him was my true salvation. That and the girl beside me who had never given up on me. And the little child in her stomach that was going to make me a father. And a damn good one at that.

  *★*

  We returned to London. Brendan said it was safer to stay amongst the human population for a while. The Watchers wouldn't reveal themselves in front of humans, it was one of the few defences we had against them now.

  Knowing they had Mercy was a crushing blow. But there wasn't anything we could do. She would be imprisoned alongside Colt. Sent to live out a sentence in Dødstårn for God only knew how long. I want
ed to help. I really did. But there didn't seem to be any way to do so. We couldn't get close to the Watchers without them taking us too.

  So we checked into a hotel. Brendan paid. Legend that he was. Even got Cass and I our own room. It wasn't anything fancy. But we had a bed and a shower. Which was pretty much all I needed for the foreseeable future. I didn't care what we did next. We'd make it work. Find somewhere to go, somewhere to make a new life. For now, all I wanted was time. Time to love Cass like she deserved. Time to think about our future. Time to revel in us. Our new family.

  Cass lay in my arms beneath the sheets, curled up beside me, sleeping soundly against my shoulder. Light filtered through the net curtains, shimmering across the bed, bathing us in a cloud of beauty.

  I lay my fingers over her bump and the baby kicked my palm. Not hard enough to wake her apparently. Just enough to let me know our kid was going to be a little fighter. A boy, according to Mortifer and her Oracle friends. I'd always liked the idea of a son. But frankly, I wouldn't have cared what it was. I was going to love it with every inch of my heart. Even if it did have a wolf's head.

  Maybe we should get a scan done...

  We probably couldn't risk a human doctor prodding at Cass in case they noticed she wasn't normal. Her heart didn't beat like a human's. Maybe our kid's wouldn't either.

  A knock came at the door and I slid reluctantly out of bed, pulling on a pair of boxers.

  Opening it, I found Silas standing there with a bag in his hand, wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, looking unusually casual.

  “New clothes?” I folded my arms, glancing down his attire.

  “I went shopping,” he said simply, leaning sideways to try and get a look over my shoulder. “Is Cass here? I want to say goodbye.”

  “Goodbye?” Cass appeared, tying a fluffy white dressing gown around herself. “Where are you going?”

  “I have to go back to work. Get things in order,” he replied with a taut frown. He reached out a hand, passing Cass a mobile phone. “My number's already on it. If you need anything, I'm just a phone call away.”

  “Thank you,” she said, tucking the phone into a pocket in her gown. “What about Rockley? Won't he come after you?”